Fifteen High School and Middle Schools will converge on Mason, Saturday, October 11th to compete in the PRIDE OF THE HILL COUNTRY CROSS COUNTRY MEET.

The meet will feature some of the best cross country athletes in the adjoining five county region. All eyes will be on the host school MHS as our Punchers prepare to take on power house programs such as Kileen, Bandera, and Kerrville Tivy.

Our Mason Puncher and Cowgirl Cross Country teams have built a reputation over the past several years as a program on the rise. Much of the success has to do with our high energy coach, Sherry Keller. Coach Keller's old school approach brings out the very best in her athletes. Her no nonsense style has been embraced by our students as several former MHS runners now compete at the college level. This year the MHS Cross Country team is already hitting stride and peaking at just the right time. Several of our runners have already eclipsed their personal best and we are only at the half way point of the 2008 season.

The student athletes that compete in cross country are different cats all together. Unlike football and basketball, Cross Country athletes do not have the luxury to take a knee when they are winded. In Cross Country you run and run and when you are to tired to even think, you run some more. In my opinion that is the beauty of this sport and why I enjoy going to the meets. The mental disipline and internal desire shows on the athletes face during every step of the grueling competition.

Cross Country is one of those rare sports that allow you to get up close and personal with the athletes. You can literally stand three feet away from the runners and urge them on at several locations along the course. One of the best places to stand at the Mason meet is near the finish line. The last leg of the race has the runners disappearing into the woods, where the lead usually changes hand. There is nothing more exciting to stand and wait to see who emerges from the woods first, as the runners make the mad dash over the last 100 yards to the finsh line. It is just flat out fun!

If you have nothing to do Saturday morning grab a cup of coffee and head out to the fair grounds and get behind our Punchers and Cowgirls. You will come away inspired. The High School races will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the Junior High will follow at 10:30 a.m.

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